Yogendra, supporters arrested during protest; released after

Former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav and 85 others, protesting on farmers' issues, were arrested in a post-midnight swoop at Jantar Mantar after which the activist accused Delhi Police of manhandling and threatening to kill him, charges denied by the police.
Yadav, who was released along with his supporters including AAP MLA Pankaj Pushkar after spending around 14 hours in police custody, said the police action was reflective of a "rattled establishment" following his protests on farmers issues including the controversial land bill.
"The SHO of Parliament Street Police Station threatened to kill me. He said I will beat you to a pulp. (Maar maar ke bharta bana dunga)," an angry Yadav told reporters.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was instrumental in Yadav's expulsion from AAP in April, came out in support of his former colleague, saying it is the fundamental right of every citizen to protest peacefully and demanded that Home Minister Rajnath Singh seek a report from police on it.
"We condemn the way police behaved with Yogendra Yadav and the volunteers. This is not right as in this country peaceful demonstration is a fundamental right under Article 19 of the Constitution. We condemn such action against peaceful protesters," he said.
Police justified the crackdown saying the protesters were advancing towards the Delhi Race Club at Race Course road near the prime minister's residence. The protesters have been demanding a farmers' memorial at the club site saying the land was forcibly acquired by the British rulers from the farmers of Malcha village.

"After discussion with police, we shelved our plan to march towards Race Course road. Our plan was to stand with the plough at Jantar Mantar, as a symbolic protest, till August 15. Since when standing with plough has become a crime," Yadav asked.

He said Swaraj Abhiyan was mulling filing an FIR against the "ill-treatment" meted out to him and AAP MLA Pankaj Pushkar by the police.
Police said they made the "preventive arrests" under sections 107 (action where breach of the peace or disturbance is apprehended) and 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) as they were planning to take out a rally without permission in the high security Delhi Race Course area.

"Yogendra Yadav and 85 others were arrested around 1.30 AM today. They had permission to carry out the protest for two days. Last evening they asked to extend for permission until August 16. As the deadline got over, we asked them to vacate the place," said a senior police officer.